1992 Pontiac Excitement 400

The 1992 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the third stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 38th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 8, 1992, before an audience of 65,200 in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. In a close finish, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Bill Elliott would manage to complete a dominant performance by besting challenger Alan Kulwicki by 18 inches (46 cm) at the finish line to take his 36th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant would finish third.

1992 Pontiac Excitement 400
Race details
Race 3 of 29 in the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1992 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1992 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date March 8, 1992
Official name 38th Annual Pontiac Excitement 400
Location Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.75 mi (1.21 km)
Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Average speed 104.378 miles per hour (167.980 km/h)
Attendance 65,200
Pole position
Driver Junior Johnson & Associates
Time 22.252
Most laps led
Driver Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates
Laps 348
Winner
No. 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Neil Bonnett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Richmond International Raceway, the venue where the race was at.

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac Miller Genuine Draft
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Hooters
8 Dick Trickle Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Snickers
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet Purolator Filters
11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Chevrolet Raybestos
15 Geoff Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford Keystone
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Maxwell House
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford Quaker State
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
32 Randy Porter Porter Racing Pontiac Porter Racing
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
41 Greg Sacks Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
49 Stanley Smith BS&S Motorsports Chevrolet Ameritron Batteries
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Funshine RV
55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Oldsmobile Jasper Engines & Transmissions
59 Andy Belmont (R) Pat Rissi Racing Ford Slick 50
66 Chad Little Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Phillips 66 TropArtic
68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile Country Time
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Abilene Boots
88 Jeff Fuller Bandzul Racing Pontiac Bandzul Racing
90 Charlie Glotzbach Donlavey Racing Ford SplitFire
94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet Moly Black Gold

Qualifying

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Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 6, at 2:30 PM EST. Originally, the first 20 positions were going to be determined by first round qualifying, with positions 21-40 meant to be determined the following day on Saturday, March 7.[3] However, due to rain, the second round was cancelled. As a result, the rest of the starting lineup was set using the results from the first round.[4]

Bill Elliott, driving for Junior Johnson & Associates, would win the pole, setting a time of 22.252 and an average speed of 121.337 miles per hour (195.273 km/h).[5]

Two drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 22.252 121.337
2 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 22.394 120.568
3 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 22.463 120.198
4 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 22.473 120.144
5 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 22.476 120.128
6 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 22.502 119.989
7 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 22.530 119.840
8 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Chevrolet 22.547 119.750
9 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 22.548 119.745
10 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 22.551 119.729
11 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22.567 119.644
12 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 22.568 119.638
13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.573 119.612
14 15 Geoff Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 22.592 119.511
15 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 22.602 119.458
16 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 22.640 119.258
17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 22.649 119.211
18 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 22.668 119.111
19 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 22.709 118.896
20 41 Greg Sacks Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.710 118.890
21 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 22.758 118.640
22 8 Dick Trickle Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 22.793 118.457
23 66 Chad Little Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 22.816 118.338
24 68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 22.829 118.271
25 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 22.842 118.203
26 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 22.854 118.141
27 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.861 118.105
28 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 22.890 117.955
29 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22.954 117.627
30 88 Jeff Fuller Bandzul Racing Pontiac 23.082 116.974
31 16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford 23.103 116.868
32 55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Oldsmobile 23.129 116.737
33 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 23.158 116.590
34 49 Stanley Smith BS&S Motorsports Chevrolet 23.361 115.577
Provisional
35 90 Charlie Glotzbach Donlavey Racing Ford 23.373 115.518
Failed to qualify
36 59 Andy Belmont (R) Pat Rissi Racing Ford 24.372 110.783
37 32 Randy Porter Porter Racing Pontiac - -
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 1 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 400 348 running 185 $272,700
2 5 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 400 0 running 170 $36,525
3 6 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 400 48 running 170 $31,950
4 2 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 400 1 running 165 $25,100
5 18 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 400 3 running 160 $21,775
6 27 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 0 running 150 $16,050
7 4 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 399 0 running 146 $13,700
8 19 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 399 0 running 142 $12,250
9 8 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Chevrolet 399 0 running 138 $11,950
10 11 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 399 0 running 134 $13,600
11 29 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 399 0 running 130 $16,600
12 16 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 398 0 running 127 $10,650
13 21 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 398 0 running 124 $4,800
14 13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 397 0 running 121 $13,700
15 10 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 397 0 running 118 $14,360
16 14 15 Geoff Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 397 0 running 115 $12,225
17 12 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 396 0 running 112 $12,425
18 17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 396 0 running 109 $9,875
19 26 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 396 0 running 106 $5,550
20 3 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 395 0 running 103 $9,325
21 25 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 395 0 running 100 $9,875
22 22 8 Dick Trickle Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 394 0 running 97 $9,100
23 23 66 Chad Little Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 393 0 running 94 $5,925
24 31 16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford 393 0 running 91 $4,150
25 32 55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Oldsmobile 393 0 running 88 $8,750
26 35 90 Charlie Glotzbach Donlavey Racing Ford 392 0 running 85 $5,675
27 34 49 Stanley Smith BS&S Motorsports Chevrolet 392 0 running 82 $4,050
28 28 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 389 0 running 79 $5,600
29 30 88 Jeff Fuller Bandzul Racing Pontiac 386 0 water pump 76 $4,000
30 15 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 363 0 running 73 $11,970
31 24 68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 353 0 rear end 70 $9,500
32 20 41 Greg Sacks Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 342 0 running 67 $3,925
33 9 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 267 0 axle 64 $9,435
34 7 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 259 0 engine 61 $8,400
35 33 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 93 0 engine 58 $4,400
Failed to qualify
36 59 Andy Belmont (R) Pat Rissi Racing Ford
37 32 Randy Porter Porter Racing Pontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Harris, Mike (March 9, 1992). "Another win for Elliott". The Morning Call. p. 21. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (March 9, 1992). "Elliott ekes out rich win at Richmond". The Dispatch. p. 20. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. March 6, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ "Rain washes out NASCAR qualifying". The Dispatch. March 8, 1992. p. 23. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Harris, Mike (March 7, 1992). "Elliott takes the pole at Richmond". The Item. p. 11. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1992 GM Goodwrench 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1992 season
Next race:
1992 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500